Happy Sunday! I hope you’ve all had a great weekend! Mine has been very busy but so much fun 🙂 Isobel turned nine on Tuesday so we had a party for her and some friends on Saturday; the weather was glorious so all the kids had big water pistols and ran around the garden like lunatics. It just happened to coincide with the England v Sweden game, so the adults gathered inside to watch it with a tipple or two 😉 It was a really lovely day, but we were all so tired by the end of the evening.

Recently I treated myself to the Marks and Spencer Summer Beauty and Tili Violet Blooms Beauty Boxes, which are packed full of fabulous products for the warmer weather.

Speaking of the weather, due to the prolonged hot and sunny conditions, I’ve been refreshing my beauty regime. I love beauty boxes because I get to try new products, and often put some aside for travelling. Recently I treated myself to the Marks and Spencer Summer Beauty and Tili Violet Blooms Beauty Boxes, which are packed full of fabulous products for the warmer weather.

The M&S Summer Beauty Box contains

Color WOW Dream Coat Supernatural Hair Spray 50ml

PUR Cosmetics Fully Charged Mascara 4ml

Autograph Lasting Colour Intense Liquid Lipstick 6ml

REN Altantic Kelp & Magnesium Body Wash 100ml

Prai Throat & Decolletage Creme 15ml

Nuxe Refreshing Aftersun 50ml

Ultrasun Lip Protection SPF 30 4.8g

Percy & Reed Fragrance Mist 75ml

Leighton Denny Nail Colour 12ml

Formula Absolute Ultimate Sleep Cream 15ml

Autograph Sheer Radiance Eau de Parfum 30ml

Origins GinZing Gel Moisturiser 30ml

EOS SPF Lip Balm 7g

Philip Kingsley Coconut Breeze Elasticizer 40ml

This Works Deep Pillow spray 5ml

Make-up Bag

I was really happy to see the Formula Ultimate Sleep Cream included in the box as there was one in the advent calendar and it really is a fabulous night cream.

The M&S Summer Beauty Box was a snip at just £15 with a purchase of £40 or more…which gave me the perfect excuse to buy more shoes! Unfortunately it’s now sold out – you have to be really quick with these, much like the advent calendars. I was really happy to see the Formula Absolute Ultimate Sleep Cream included in the box as there was one in the advent calendar and it really is a fabulous night cream. The peptides and hyaluronic acid nourish and hydrate the skin so that you look like you’ve had a good night’s sleep, even if you haven’t. In the morning my skin looks fresh and smooth, and feels hydrated. At £22 for 50ml I think this is a really good value night cream.

Rather pricey at £22 for 300ml, this is one product I would never have bought on its own.

I haven’t tried everything in the box thoroughly yet, but one of my favourite “new to me” products is the REN Altantic Kelp & Magnesium Body Wash. This sulphate-free formula has a really refreshing and reviving fragrance. It contains kelp extract, energizing magnesium and a blend of anti-fatigue essential oils – just what I need in this energy-sapping hot weather. REN uses only 100% plant and mineral derived actives and is free from skin-unfriendly synthetic ingredients. Rather pricey at £22 for 300ml, this is one product I would never have bought on its own, but it’s a real treat on a hot day. It just goes to show how good value these beauty boxes are.

As soon as I took the lid off the M&S Summer Beauty Box Isobel made a grab for the Eos lip balm. In fact she didn’t even know what it was, she was just intrigued by the packaging. When I told her it was lip balm it was no longer mine. I owned it for all of about ten seconds. It turns out she has impeccable taste because it’s a fantastic lip balm…and only £6.50. There are different varieties, but the one I received has a zingy, fruity scent. To me it smells like grapefruit, but I could be wrong. All I know is it’s fresh and summery…and no longer in my possession! Ah well, it’ll be my clothes and shoes soon I suppose so I’d better get used to it!

I’ve bought all but one of the Tili boxes from QVC. Although they’re not as good value as the M&S box, the selection of products are consistently well-chosen. Tili beauty boxes are subscription-free, and you can see what you’re getting before buying. The contents for this box are valued at around £65.

The Tili Violet Blooms Beauty Box contains

Elemis Superfood Facial Cleanser (30ml)

Pixi Rose Tonic (40ml)

Caudalie Premier Cru Eye Cream (5ml)

Percy & Reed Dry Instant Volumising Spray (200ml)

Molton Brown Purifying Shampoo with Indian Cress (30ml)

Molton Brown Purifying Conditioner with Indian Cress (30ml)

Vita Liberata Body Blur (7ml)

Nails Inc Duke Street (14ml) – a smoked lilac shade

Magnitone Wipe Out Cleansing Cloth

Your Zookie Blackcurrant Vitamin Supplement (5ml)

I’ve been using the Caudalie Premier Cru Eye Cream for a couple of weeks and I love it. It’s enriched with hyaluronic acid and contains soft focus pearl pigments to blur imperfections. This is another product that I wouldn’t have bought because it’s £45 for 15ml, much more than I’d usually spend on an eye cream. If I find something that works and I think it’s worth the price tag I’ll buy it, but I won’t take a gamble on high-end products. One thing I’ve learned over the years is that big bucks doesn’t always equal high quality. That said, I would consider buying this again. I’ve heard many good things about Caudalie, so I’m keen to try more from the brand.

I’ll be keeping the Molton Brown shampoo and conditioner, as well as the Elemis facial wash for travelling. I’ve tried the Nails Inc polish and love the colour but not the formula. In fairness, I’ve never been keen on Nails Inc – I find it hard to apply and it takes ages to dry. I only buy quick-dry nail polish because otherwise I’d smudge it and have to start again. (My favourite is Maybelline Color Show 60 Seconds nail polish, with Kiko Milano Quick Dry a close second).

The Pixi Rose Tonic is roses in a bottle; it smells wonderful and leaves my skin refreshed and calmed. At £10 for 100ml I’d say this is an affordable treat, and one I’d definitely buy again at full price.

Did you buy either of these boxes? Or have you tried any of these products individually? I’d love to know if you have a favourite!

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